Asleep
by mccabbages
Summary: Set six months after Fred is hit by the wall. He is struggling to return to Hermione, but can't quite grasp how. Fremione. Sad but hopefully fluffy with a happy ending. Not exactly book or movie compliant.
1. Chapter 1

Hi, I'm back with a new story. I got severe writer's block with Falling in Love with Hermione Granger, but was suddenly inspired to write this one. I've only got this much written, but I wanted to find out what you guys thought of it, and if I should continue it. Please review!

Hattie

Fred

I just have to get back to Hermione.

I don't know how long I've been gone, or where she is, but I can feel her presence. I can feel her sadness.

I find myself wandering through many places. The Burrow, Grimmauld Place, Hogwarts, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. All places that I've spent much of my time, except for one. St. Mungo's.

I move silently through the halls of the hospital, dragging my fingers along the white concrete walls adorned with smiling pictures of healthy witches and wizards. All the halls are crowded with people, people I don't recognize. Everyone walks slowly, looking around them for a familiar face. Some cry, some yell, some just look confused.

I haven't been here since my father was bitten by Nagini two years ago, but even then I was only here a few hours a day for two weeks. I don't know why I'm here.

I pass room number 312, and suddenly the overwhelming urge to enter overtakes me. I do, and once inside my vision goes fuzzy and dim. I turn my head, and the hallway behind me is completely empty and still. Dizzy, I stumble forward to the bed and collapse, closing my eyes. When I open them a few minutes later, the image before me is shifty and unclear, but I immediately recognize a head of bushy curls and hear, through some fog, the voice that I have been missing.

"Fred," she says, "Please come back to us." I blink, and she is replaced by the unfamiliar people wandering the halls.

This is the fourth time.

Hermione

"Did you see that?" George says from my left. "His eyes definitely fluttered."

I remain silent, watching Fred's face for another sign of life.

"Just for a moment," Ginny agrees from my right. "That's the fourth time this week, isn't it? Last week there was nothing. I think he's getting better,"

"You're probably right, Ginny," Molly says hopefully from behind me, shuffling around as she refolds Fred's shirts for the twelfth time that hour.

I grip his hand tightly in mine, wishing as hard as I can for him to wake up. I'm in a room surrounded by people, and yet without his laugh and his eyes I feel completely alone. It's been six months since I've seen his smile. Six months since I saw a bright flash of light, heard an explosion that left my ears ringing, and felt the rumble of the crumbling stone that nearly killed me. The last time I heard Fred's voice.

"_Hermione, the wall!" Fred screamed, grabbing me by my upper arms and pushing me backwards and into Percy._

_As if in slow motion, I turned to watch the brick and mortar crack and give way. It cascaded, almost beautifully, down and into the corridor where I was once standing. Fred was holding me tightly, panting and thanking Merlin that I was okay. I stayed still, frozen, watching the gaping hole in the wall that once guarded the Room of Requirement. Fred leaned back, searching my face, and as he turned around to see what I was looking at the wall, closer to us, exploded again, the stone raining down. He let go of me with a small push, and as I fell backward I watched as the rubble caught Fred on the top of his head, his shoulders, his back, his legs. _

_I watched as the man I'd loved for more than four years collapsed before me. Percy, now next to me, moved first, grabbing Fred under his arms and dragging him back to where I was sitting, shaking._

"_Hermione, help me move him!" he yelled in my face, tears staining his cheeks. "He isn't breathing!"_

Madam Pomfrey had gotten him breathing again, much to her credit. But she couldn't get him to wake up. We moved him immediately after Voldemort was gone to St. Mungo's, which was already filling with injured people. Beds were transfigured and stuffed into rooms that only had room for two. The hospital resembled a refugee center. We attended more funerals that first week than anyone would attend in their whole life.

Gradually the rooms emptied out as people were healed or passed away, and now Fred is one of the few remaining patients from the Battle of Hogwarts.

Fred

I find myself in Hogwarts, outside the Room of Requirement. I can remember pushing Hermione out of the way here. I can remember two explosions here. I can remember falling here. But then nothing. Just people wandering through St. Mungo's.

But at least Hermione, an old Hermione, exists here. This is my favorite place to wander. It's before Voldemort returned. She's fourteen, and we've just gotten together.

I immediately turn away from the Room of Requirement and run to the library, where I know she's waiting for me. I had actually never entered the library of my own free will before I started dating her. I never felt the need. To me, the library was just a place to get books for class. She showed me it can be so much more. She taught me to enjoy reading as a pastime - something I knew people did but had never found the appeal. She taught me how to communicate without jokes there - something I felt insecure without. She taught me how to love someone among those shelves.

I find her waiting for me just outside the doors, and as she sees me approach her face lights up and she races forward to grasp my hand in hers. My anxiety dissipates, and I smile. She drags me inside and to the back of the library, stopping several times along the way so that she can inspect an interesting book title. Each time we stop, I stand behind her, my chin on her shoulder. She always said she loved it when I did this - it made her feel like we were one being.

We sit down at our table in the back. She had collected a stack of books on our way here, and I help her organize them into the order that she wishes to read them.

"This is about the history of Uric the Oddball," I mention to her some time later, picking up the final book.

"Oh, I know plenty about him already, put it last," she mutters to me, distracted by the back summary of one of the books. I nod, complying with her instruction.

I lean back, smiling to myself. Being with her, even organizing her reading list, is time well spent in my eyes. I sneak a look at her, and she rolls her eyes playfully as she glances up and catches my gaze. I blink, and the image before me changes drastically.

I'm surrounded by ashes. I stand up, quickly glancing around me, my breath quickening. All the books and shelves and tables are in gray, powdery piles littered around the floor. The library is vast and empty, everything in varying shades of black and white. The smoky smell of fire lingers, burning my nostrils and making me sneeze. An uneasy feeling settles in my stomach, and I recognize it immediately. Dark magic was used here, in a vast amount.

My senses go on high alert, and I slide my wand out of my back pocket. I quickly exit the library, only to find that the corridor outside is filled with dust and rubble. The feeling does not go away, but instead intensifies. I turn back to the library, wondering where Hermione went.

As I enter the library again, everything returns to normal. I'm sitting at the table with Hermione, who is chewing her lip as she reads her book. This has never happened to me before, and I wonder if what I saw is from the future - the future I'm supposed to be in.


	2. Chapter 2

Hermione

As the sun begins to set, the Weasley family starts gathering their things to return to the Burrow for a late supper. Molly always brings breakfast, lunch, and dinner - but one or two of her sons will begin complaining at five about being hungry. I haven't eaten today, but I'm in no mood to return home. I live in a constant state of fear of Fred waking up or passing on without me being there.

"Are you staying the night again, Hermione?" Arthur asks me, a hand on my shoulder. I haven't budged from Fred's side in hours, and my body feels sore as I turn to face his father.

"I think so, Mr. Weasley," I respond with a half smile.

He hesitates before nodding. "Take care of yourself." He leaves with the rest of the family, shutting the door behind him. I turn back to Fred, squeezing his hand tighter. In the beginning I worried that his family felt awkward with my staying more nights than even Molly, but eventually realized I simply didn't care. My need to be around him felt more important.

I stand up, facing the bed, and slide my hands underneath his left arm and carefully push him to the right side of the bed. I transfigure my jeans into sweatpants wandlessly as I tie my hair up into a thick ponytail before stretching out on the bed next to him. I lay on my right side, facing him, and place my fingers on the red-orange stubble growing on his cheeks.

"Looks like you need a shave, babe," I mumble before sliding my hand to rest on his chest and closing my eyes.

Fred

I'm back in St. Mungo's. I'm stuck wandering the halls again. Dragging my fingers against the wall again. Passing strangers again. The worst part is that I can't even explore any of the floors except the fourth, which was the floor for spell damage. I can only imagine something has me tethered here. I stop walking to rest in a chair outside room 312, knowing that something has to do with this room. I watch the door, half expecting something to happen. Of course nothing does.

I pass a hand over my face, and am mildly surprised to feel some stubble growing there. My physical appearance hasn't changed at all for the time I've spent in this strange limbo. Granted, I have no idea how long I've been here. It may have only been a few days, which is why it's just now showing up.

I hear a clicking noise, and look up to find that the door to 312 is open. I jump up, walking briskly inside and looking around. It's empty. The bed is made, the white sheets tucked in around the edges of the mattress. I walk around the perimeter of the room, hoping for the dizzy feeling that lets me briefly see Hermione, but nothing happens. I stomp one foot, frustrated, and am about to leave when I catch a glimpse of something moving in the mirror by the door. I step up to it, but I have no reflection. I stretch out my hand to touch the glass, but I'm met with no hand. I pat my chest, and feel solid. I just can't see myself. I stare into the mirror closely, and see the bed behind me in the reflection.

The image shifts a little, and suddenly I see myself, but I'm laying down in the bed, tucked in neatly, with Hermione curled up next to me, her hand on my chest. I spin around, but we're not there. My heart pounding, I face the mirror again, banging my fists against it, shouting her name. She doesn't budge. A few moments later, the image shifts again, and I'm faced with my own reflection. I sigh, pressing my forehead against the cool surface, wondering where the hell I am.

Hermione

I wake up to Ron watching me from the chair by the bed. I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and swinging my legs over the edge of the mattress.

"'Morning," I greet without smiling. Another day without Fred.

"You were talking in your sleep, you know. Fred always said you did, but Harry and I never heard it while we were hunting for Horcruxes." Ron responds, laughing a little. "Maybe you only did it around him."

I allow myself a little laugh to please Ron, but it feels hollow and fake and he knows it. "Is everyone else on their way here?"

"No," he answers. "They said they weren't going to come until this afternoon, but wanted someone to check on you. They're a little worried."

"Fred's the one unconscious." I grumble back as I transfigure the sweats back into jeans and use a quick spell to wash my hair and freshen my breath.

Ron scoffs but doesn't respond. We watch Fred in silence for a few minutes, not knowing what to say.

Finally I look back at Ron. "Hey, if you want to head home, feel free. I'm alright here."

He looks at the clock on the wall. "I have to meet Luna in Hogsmeade in a few minutes, actually."

I can't help but feel bitter about his relationship. Both of them were conscious. "Oh, yeah? How is that going?"

His face brightens despite the heavy atmosphere of the hospital room. "She's really great. I can't believe I never really looked at her like this while at school. I think this could last for a while."

"That's great, Ron." I say. He nods happily as he stands up. He punches Fred lightly on the shoulder.

"Wake up soon, mate. Laughing isn't the same without you." Ron kisses my cheek before leaving the room.

"He's right, you know," I say to Fred. "I don't think I've laughed since the Battle." I pat at his blankets absentmindedly, wanting something to do. "Remember when I thought you were the least funny person in existence? Merlin, I really had a stick up my ass, didn't I?" I roll my eyes at my past self, smiling a little.

_"Granger!" George exclaims, throwing his arm around my shoulder and falling into step with me. "Just the brain we wanted to see!"_

_ "Oh, come now, Georgie," Fred admonishes, throwing his arm around my waist. "She's much more than a brain."_

_ "And what do you two want, exactly?" I respond, exasperated. We went through this every day. My thirteen year old self was extremely fed up. I stopped walking, and they dropped their arms and stood in front of me, side by side._

_ "We just want your advice on something," George began._

_ "We're developing a new product, you see-" Fred continued, grinning from ear to ear._

_ "-and we don't know if we should use Astragalus root-"_

_ "-or dragon's blood-"_

_ "-to complete it!" George finished, laughing unnecessarily._

_ "That depends, what is this product for?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Those are two very different ingredients."_

_ "Well… We want to make-"_

_ "Freddie, mate, you can't tell her. She won't like it." _

_ "Who else would we ask? Snape?"_

_ "We could just experiment-"_

_ "-and potentially kill someone? What if this ingredient means life or death, Georgie?"_

_ I rolled my eyes. "Listen, don't kill anybody. I have to go to the library, however. I do plan on studying for my exams, even if you two may not." I pushed through them, but Fred grabbed my arm._

_ "Okay, Hermione. It's for a line of candies that have...well, some side effects."_

_ I furrowed my brows and looked between them. "Like…?"_

_ "Like throwing up or breaking out in hives," Fred explained as George throws his hands up in the air in frustration._

_ "Why would you want to make candies that make people sick? That's awful!" I exclaimed, a little offended that I was being dragged into this. I opened my mouth, prepared to rant, but Fred holds a hand up, and I stopped._

_ "Alright, George. You were right. We'll just have to research on our own. She doesn't understand our products, just like Mum." They walk around me and off toward the common room. I stood still, shocked, before making my way to the library, feeling oddly guilty._

"You were right, of course, Fred." I say, playing with his fingers. "I didn't understand your products. I thought you two were ridiculous. I'm glad I changed my mind, though."


End file.
